


Care

by sanctuary_for_all



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Fluff, Feels, First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together, Kid Fic, M/M, Murder
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-19
Updated: 2019-02-19
Packaged: 2019-10-31 18:55:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17855201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctuary_for_all/pseuds/sanctuary_for_all
Summary: Mick gets told to "take care of the kid" on a job by someone who isn't Len. Doing just that, he and Len somehow stumble into being a family. (Canon AU)





	Care

**Author's Note:**

> Based on [this](https://leonardsnartbigbang.tumblr.com/post/182578838501/you-take-care-of-the-children) Tumblr post.

"You! Big guy!"  
  
Already annoyed by the sound of Grigg's voice, Mick slammed the muscle's head into the wall one more time before turning back around to look at his supposed boss. The crew he and Len were running with at the moment weren't what either of them wanted -- they wouldn't let Mick burn shit, and Len was going crazy because their jobs were all dumbass smash-and-grab hits against gangbangers and drug runners -- but they weren't established enough yet to run their own jobs. Still, Mick gave it another week before Len couldn't take it anymore and they were on the move anyway.  
  
At least, that was his estimate until Griggs pulled a kid out from behind his back and shoved them in Mick's direction. "Looks like one of Bascomb's little runners got stuck at the wrong counting house today. Take care of her before she runs back and tells the big boss what happened to all his cash."  
  
Mick froze. He'd killed a lot of people in his life, but none of them had been fucking _kids_.  
  
Griggs tossed him a gun. "I'd have your ice-cold bastard of a master do it, but he's the only one good enough at math to make sure we get an accurate count of the cash. So I'm making his lapdog do it instead."  
  
Mick looked down at the little girl, who met his eyes with a fiercely stubborn expression that reminded him a lot of both Snarts. It hadn't been all that long ago that Lisa was six or seven like this kid was, asking Mick to tell her a bedtime story because he did better growls than Lenny did.  
  
Griggs didn't know about Lisa. In this business, silence was sometimes the best protection you could give to the people who mattered.  
  
He shifted his gaze back to Griggs, putting on his best "big dumb lug" expression. "Gotta go ask the boss if it's okay."  
  
Griggs' eyes narrowed. "I keep trying to tell you, you idiot. _I_ am the fucking boss."  
  
Mick shrugged. "Lapdogs only listen to their owners, Griggs."  
  
His face twisted in momentary fury, drawing his gun. Mick was already holding the gun Griggs had tossed him, and had it pointed at the man's dick before Griggs' gun was pointed at his face. They both stood there like that for several seconds, then Griggs swore and turned toward the back rooms where the money was being kept. "Snart!" he called out, lowering his gun. Mick, a beat later, did the same. "Come out here and talk to your damn dog!"  
  
After a long enough pause to make it clear he wasn't coming at anyone's beck and call, Len stepped out into the hallway. "Yes?" he asked mildly, eyes on Mick rather than Griggs.  
  
"The dumbass mutt says he can't do anything without your permission," Griggs sneered, ignoring the way Len's jaw tightened. The dog comments bothered him a hell of a lot more than they did Mick. "So tell him to take care of the kid while the rest of us get back to doing important shit."  
  
Expression completely blank now, Len's gaze flickered to the kid before going back to Mick's. His eyebrows lifted the smallest fraction, along with a faint head tilt in Griggs' direction. Mick shifted the hand holding the gun just a little, then briefly lifted his own eyebrows.  
  
Len smirked. "You heard the man, Mick." His old-time gangster drawl was suddenly out in full force, along with the slouch that made him look like he was the most relaxed person in the universe. "Take care of the kid."  
  
Something inside Mick eased. He'd gotten used to not doing things alone. "Whatever you say, Boss."  
  
As Len disappeared into whatever back room he'd emerged from, Griggs turned away with a sneer. "Last time I work with a fucking retard," he muttered to himself. The kid stayed where she was, but her gaze kept flickering towards the nearest exit like she was trying to work out her timing.  
  
Mick was doing the same thing. Len needed the element of surprise more than he did, but if he took too damn long...  
  
Just as he finished the thought, there was a muffled popping sound in the distance like someone setting off a firecracker under a pile of blankets. Griggs turned toward the sound, brow lowering. "What the--"  
  
Anything else he was about to say cut off when Mick shot him in the head. He dropped like a rock as a series of pops went off in the back room, these louder than the first one had been. The guys who'd been left to watch the doors ran inside, guns ready, and Mick took them both out with a couple of shots.  
  
Then he swung the gun back to the girl, wanting to see what she'd do. She glared him down, but he could see her feet shifting like she was getting ready for something. Best guess, she was getting ready to either bolt or charge him.  
  
The corner of Mick's mouth quirked upward as he tucked the gun back into the waistband of his pants. He didn't like using the things much, but who knew when you might need one. "We're not gonna shoot you, kid," he told her, heading over to Griggs to dig through his pockets for the keys. "Why do you think we shot everybody else?"  
  
Her eyes went wide at that, more visibly shaken by that particular piece of news than anything else that had happened in the last 20 minutes. She inhaled, mouth opening like she was about to say something. When Len emerged from the back, however, she clamped her mouth closed again.  
  
He headed toward them both, a duffle bag full of what looked like cash over his shoulder. "Did you get the--" Len cut himself off when Mick held up the keys to the getaway van. "Good. Now grab the kid, and once we're outside I'll swap you for this." He held up Mick's cigarette lighter. "I've been holding onto it for you."  
  
Mick felt a lick of flame curl up inside him as he picked up the kid. She didn't struggle, clinging to him with the same wide-eyed look she'd been wearing since she found out they'd killed everyone else to save her life.  
  
When they made it outside, Mick set her down and headed for Len. He held up the lighter, expression hard. "Five minutes." The words were an order. "Then the three of us are gone."  
  
The flame surged inside him, protesting the unfair restriction. But Len had kept his lighter for him, even though he didn't like the fire. He'd done this with him, even though he could have left Mick to deal with it on his own.  
  
Mick nodded solemnly. "Five minutes."  
  
When the time came, it wasn't easy to go. The fire was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, but it was slightly less real than the sound of Len's voice snapping his name. When the kid came up and wrapped her small hand around one of his to tug him into the van, he went.  
  
They piled into the van in silence, broken only by Len's quiet command of "seatbelts." Then they disappeared into the darkness, leaving the glow of the burning building behind them.  


**Author's Note:**

> Come check out my [original fiction,](https://jennifferwardell.wixsite.com/mybooks) my [blog,](http://jennifferwardell.blogspot.com) or say hi to me on [Tumblr](http://sanctuaryforalluniverses.tumblr.com)!


End file.
